CRAY Wanderers have vowed to not give up on the dream of coming home to the Crays, where the club started 152 years ago.

Bromley Council blocked the team’s plan last September by rejecting its planning application for a 5,153- seat stadium in Sandy Lane, St Paul’s Cray.

Their application also included 182 homes, a gym and a swimming pool and councillors objected to the idea of the development being built on green belt land.

The Wands chairman Gary Hillman was disappointed after the planning meeting but since then says discussions with the council have been going well.

His current priority is to ensure the task of finding a home for Cray Wanderers FC in the Crays can be included in the upcoming draft development framework which is being drawn up by the council.

Mr Hillman says he is keen to work with the council to refine plans for a new stadium for the club.

He said: “The many hundreds of letters backing the application sent to Bromley Council demonstrate the level of public support for the stadium.

“We look forward to discussing the plans further with the council and hope to find a solution that will secure the future of the world’s second-oldest football club as well as regenerating the area with first- class sporting facilities being at the heart of it.”

Bromley Council threw out the plans for a number of reasons including the fact the proposed site is on green belt land and is next to a "site of special scientific interest" – Ruxley gravel pits.

The club currently shares a ground with Bromley FC.